In the article, we will consider the symptoms and treatment of atrophic gastritis in women and men.
Atrophic gastritis is a chronic form of inflammation of the stomach, which leads to the death of its parietal cells, as a result of which the secretion of hydrochloric acid decreases, an acute deficiency of vitamin B12 occurs and megaloblastic anemia develops.
Description of pathology
This type of gastritis leads to the fact that the mucous membrane of the organ that affects the disease begins to thin sharply, and its glands atrophy. The occurrence of atrophic gastritis is characterized by damage to the gastric fundus, after which the process of producing hydrochloric acid and a special substance of pepsinogen, which is the enzyme responsible for digesting food, is activated. Further, the process only gets worse, which manifests itself in the forminjuring the stomach with food that gets inside. The total area of atrophy depends on the degree of such trauma.
This is one of the most dangerous types of chronic gastritis. If complex treatment of atrophic gastritis is not carried out in time, it can quickly develop into a malignant tumor of the stomach.
Focal type of atrophic gastritis
This type of this disease manifests itself in the form of the formation of pathological foci of inflammation on the walls of the stomach, which is accompanied by a compensatory strengthening of the functions of those parts of the organ that were not affected during the disease. Symptoms and treatment of focal atrophic gastritis will be discussed below.
Mild forms of this type of gastritis may be accompanied by slight discomfort and pain in the epigastric region, as well as a burning sensation after eating. Nausea and a feeling of fullness in the stomach can appear not only after large amounts of food, but even after a light snack.
Intensive manifestations
If these symptoms are ignored, the disease begins to progress rapidly and manifests itself as follows:
- loss of appetite;
- heartburn phenomena;
- increased pain;
- drastic weight loss;
- general weakness appears and the temperature rises (subfebrile).
Very often, the development of a focal form of atrophic gastritis is accompanied by an increase in the secretion of hydrochloric acid and an increase in the acidity of the stomach.
Treatment of focal atrophic gastritis is of interestmany. More on that later.
Antral form of the disease
This type of atrophic gastritis is characterized by the formation of atrophy in the antrum of the organ - in the place where the stomach begins to pass into the duodenum. In most cases, mucosal damage is observed first in this area, then begins to spread to the rest of the stomach. The main symptoms of atrophic gastritis of the antrum, in which this section begins to deform and narrow, are:
- decrease or complete disappearance of appetite;
- bad-tasting belching;
- nausea;
- heartburn after eating;
- feeling of severe fullness and heaviness in the stomach;
- stool changes - constipation, diarrhea;
- flatulence;
- intense stomach pain in the form of spasms that usually occur some time after eating;
- marked weakness and irritability.
Treatment of atrophic gastritis of the stomach should be timely.
Changes in the above section of the stomach contribute to the cessation of the production of a certain amount of mucus, which, in turn, provokes an increase in acidity, which eventually leads to the development of ulcerative lesions of the organ. After scarring of the ulcers, the pyloric section narrows.
Treatment of atrophic gastritis in women and men should be carried out by a competent specialist.
Causes of disease
BAt present, the causes of the development of such a disease have not been fully investigated, however, experts in the field of medicine refer to the following number of alleged factors that can cause a pathological process of this nature:
- Eating too spicy foods, as well as cold and too hot foods. Insufficient chewing.
- Exposure to chemicals - when alkali or acid vapor enters the stomach during breathing, active chemical reactions occur that damage the structure of the mucous membrane of this organ.
- Bad habits - alcohol abuse, smoking, the use of highly carbonated drinks, and coffee - can also lead to the development of this disease.
- Drugs - long-term use of certain medications may also lead to a violation of the structure and functions of the gastric mucosa.
- Reflux is a process characterized by the reflux of intestinal contents into the stomach. As a result, the mucous membrane is traumatized, which leads to the development of pathology in the form of atrophic gastritis.
Also, the occurrence of this form of the disease can be the result of infection with bacterial infections or the occurrence of autoimmune processes. In the first case, the disease occurs due to the ingestion of Helicobacter pylori microorganisms into the stomach. In the second case, the immune system malfunctions, when the body produces pathological, perceivingown body as someone else's.
What is the danger?
The danger of atrophic gastritis lies in the fact that its treatment does not guarantee a complete recovery and recovery of the patient. Gastroenterology regards this form of the disease as a precancerous condition. Atrophy of the mucosa, as well as the endocrine glands, significantly weakens the immune system as a whole, when the process of producing natural immunoglobulin is disrupted in the body, and antibodies that usually fight foreign microorganisms destroy their cells. As a result of this process, people develop autoimmune diseases. Treatment of atrophic gastritis with folk remedies is presented below.
Symptomatics
It is generally accepted that in the initial stages of atrophic gastritis, the clinical picture does not have a particular severity and specific symptoms. Nevertheless, with the development of the disease at further stages, symptoms appear that make the specialist think about the pathological process in this particular organ, and not in any other.
Common adult symptoms:
- loss of appetite;
- borrowing in the stomach and heaviness after eating, pronounced bloating;
- burping with air, having an unpleasant smell of rotten eggs;
- breaking stool;
- aching stomach pains;
- vitamin B12 and iron deficiency;
- polished tongue;
- sweating, severe weakness, fatigue;
- weight loss.
Character of pain
In some cases, there is a pronouncedpain syndrome that occurs in the form of dull and aching pains, characteristic after eating. Nevertheless, a distinctive feature of this type of gastritis is that there may be no pain, or it may be extremely weak, imperceptible to the patient. There is no acute pain in atrophic gastritis.
Over time, due to impaired absorption of nutrients in the digestive tract, patients may experience pale skin due to the development of anemia. A lack of vitamin A provokes visual impairment, and a deficiency of ascorbic acid often causes bleeding gums and fragility of the vascular wall, which further aggravates the manifestations of anemia.
Before treating atrophic gastritis of the stomach, a comprehensive diagnosis is required.
Diagnosis
Diagnostic methods for determining this disease are based on analyzes and clinical manifestations of the disease, as well as data from endoscopic and histological studies, assessment of the functionality of the stomach and diagnosis of the infection itself that caused atrophic gastritis.
Functional diagnostics in this case includes:
- Measuring the pH of the stomach, which helps determine the secretory activity of parietal cells.
- Study of the functionality of enzymes and the general characteristics of gastric juice.
- Study of the motor functions of digestion obtained as a result of gastrography.
Daily pH-metry is considered the standard method for assessing the secretory functions of the stomach in the presence of this disease. Heldit is mandatory, which is necessary to establish treatment tactics and prognosis for recovery. It is also mandatory to study the mucous membrane for the presence of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. This study allows you to determine the causes of organ damage, since in most cases this infection is the main factor in the occurrence of atrophic gastritis.
So, what is the treatment of atrophic gastritis?
Conservative treatments
For the treatment of pathology, a complex of drugs is prescribed, but in this case it is necessary to take into account the stage of the course of the pathological process, the state of secretory functions, the general condition of the patient and concomitant diseases.
Treatment of this disease should begin with a change in diet. This diet should be aimed at preventing trauma to the gastric mucosa, which means that therefore the food should be well chewed or crushed, and it should be taken warm. Fatty meats, broths, spices and mushrooms, as well as foods that can irritate the stomach, should be excluded. These include sour, fried, spicy, pickled, smoked foods and foods. Patients are advised not to drink carbonated drinks, coffee or alcohol.
Treatment of atrophic gastritis does not end there.
Substitution therapy
In case of serious changes in secretion, the following drugs can be used to replace the natural gastricjuice:
- "Abomin";
- "Pepsidil";
- "Acidin-pepsin".
In addition, enzyme medicines are used:
- Mezim;
- "Pankurmen";
- "Pancreatin".
If pain is present, the following medications may be used:
- "Metacin";
- "Platifillin";
- "Gastrocepin";
- "No-shpa";
- "Papaverine".
Treatment of atrophic gastritis can be carried out by folk methods.
Folk remedies
For treatment, you can also use traditional medicine, which in some cases are no less effective than pharmacy drugs. As a rule, infusions and decoctions of various medicinal herbs are used.
The most effective prescriptions for this disease are as follows:
- When acidity decreases, it is possible to use potato juice, which is consumed half an hour before a meal.
- Herbal infusion of plantain, wormwood, immortelle inflorescences, calendula flowers and St. John's wort helps very well. All these herbs are taken in equal proportions and poured with hot water. After that, it is necessary to boil the ingredients over low heat for 15 minutes. You should drink a quarter of a glass before meals. What else provides for the treatment of atrophic gastritis with folk remedies?
- Means to normalize acidityalso are calendula, sea buckthorn oil, nettle, yarrow and bedstraw. These herbs restore the gastric mucosa very quickly.
- Enveloping action for the walls of the stomach have such means as flax seeds, Marshmallow officinalis and calamus. These remedies also effectively help to eliminate heartburn. Alternative treatment of atrophic gastritis is very effective.
- Another remedy that has a positive effect came from China. For its preparation, carrot juice, pork fat, sugar, butter, honey and cocoa powder are used. All components must be thoroughly mixed and placed in a clay container, which should be kept in a warm place for 7 days. This medicine is taken by mouth, 1 tablespoon on an empty stomach, while the remedy is added to a small amount of milk.
- Treatment of chronic atrophic gastritis with poisons. This method of therapy should be approached very carefully. To do this, you need to take a fly agaric, dry it and cut it into small pieces (no more than 1 cm). One such piece is consumed in the morning before meals, chewing thoroughly.
- A very good remedy for the treatment and healing of ulcerative erosions on the inner wall of the stomach is concentrated sea buckthorn oil. It is used on an empty stomach in the amount of a tablespoon, without drinking or diluting with water.
Despite the fact that there is a huge variety of therapeutic methods and means to eliminate atrophic gastritis, you need to consult with specialists before using them, otherwise uncontrolled independenttherapy can only aggravate the disease.
Reviews on the treatment of focal atrophic gastritis
Reviews about this disease are contradictory. Many argue that the pathology is difficult to treat or not treated at all. Most often, therapy is symptomatic. People suffer from heaviness and pain in the stomach. The diet has proven itself well, it is necessary to normalize well-being. Also, folk methods of treatment give some relief.
We reviewed the symptoms and treatment of atrophic gastritis in women and men.
